(Ottawa) Four prominent Canadian groups have issued a call for an international public inquiry into the investor-state provisions in Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which, they say, open Canadians to serious environmental risks. The Canadian Labour Congress, the Council of Canadians, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club of Canada have based their call on two recent corporate suits brought against the federal government under NAFTA. The groups particularly ask that hearings on the recent Myers-PCB case be suspended, until there is a process which can address environmental issues.

The four organizations today released a formal request for a public inquiry into this matter, which has been sent to environment ministers of the three NAFTA countries as well as the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (NACEC), the NAFTA body that, in theory, provides a public process in cases of this kind.

"We were shocked by the secrecy surrounding both the Ethyl-MMT and the Myers-PCB cases under NAFTA," said Maude Barlow, chairperson of the Council of Canadians. "From here on it is completely secret and Canadians will have no input or insight into a process that puts corporate profits ahead of environmental laws. The NACEC should fulfil its mandate to inform the public about what’s going on with this claim."

"It’s extraordinary that, in the wake of the MMT debacle, the Canadian government should attempt to bury the Myers-PCB challenge and then, following its exposure to the light of day, fail to provide a coherent public response," said Elizabeth May, Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada. "The government’s performance flies in the face of public statements that Canada favours more open practices in trade matters."

Earlier this summer the Chrétien government repealed a 1997 ban on the toxic gasoline additive MMT after the U.S. manufacturer Ethyl Corp. threatened to sue the government for lost profits under NAFTA. Last month it was also revealed that Ohio-based S.D. Myers Corporation was using NAFTA to sue the Canadian government for lost profits following a 15-month ban on PCB waste exports.

"The Canadian government closed the border for the export of toxic PCB waste in ’95 to protect the health of Canadians, but under NAFTA, the Canadian government faces multi-million dollar lawsuits each time it moves to protect the environment. This deal puts the interests of big business ahead of the environment or health of Canadians." said Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner, Morag Simpson.

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